• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus DS gains Skynet 6A contract

  22nd July 2020

  The UK MoD on 19 July confirmed a £500 million ($637.34 million) contract with Airbus Defence and Space (DS) for the Skynet 6A SATCOM platform. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Mercury Systems provides electronic support to naval prime contractor

  2nd July 2020

  Mercury Systems has received a $25 million follow-on contract from an unnamed prime contractor to integrate RF and digital subsystems for ‘advanced naval electronic support’, …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM picks industry provider of RFCM for C-130 variants

  6th July 2020

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) on 1 July awarded Sierra Nevada Corporation a $700 million contract  for the development and procurement of Radio Frequency Countermeasure …

• Air Warfare

  USAF could release extra squadron of Raptors for frontline service

  2nd July 2020

  The USAF could add a sixth squadron of combat-coded F-22A Raptor stealth fighters by ‘re-purposing’ training-coded aircraft, the outgoing commander of Air Combat Command (ACC) …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japanese AWACS fleet to gain ADS-B Out

  24th June 2020

  Boeing is to upgrade transponder hardware and software on the Japan Air Self Defense Force’s (JASDF’s) fleet of four E-767 AWACS aircraft, under a $8.47 million …

• Training

  USAF RPA training falls short

  29th June 2020

  According to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), ‘the [US] Air Force does not have enough pilots and sensor operators to meet its staffing targets …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army selects Smart Shooter C-UAS solution

  30th June 2020

  The US Army has selected the SMASH Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft System (C-sUAS) solution from Smart Shooter after it was endorsed by the US DoD. The system is …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AVT secures X-MADIS contract from Thai Defence Agency

  30th June 2020

  Ascent Vision Technologies (AVT) has secured a contract for its eXpeditionary Mobile Air Defence Integrated System (X-MADIS) C-UAS from the Defence Technology Institute (DTI) of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Royal Netherlands Navy selects Thales for radar provision

  16th July 2020

  The Netherlands Defence Materiel Organisation and Thales signed a contract on 15 July for the delivery of an NS100 radar, seven Scout Mk3 radars and …

• Digital Battlespace

  ​Raytheon to aid ABMS development

  16th June 2020

  Raytheon Intelligence & Space (RI&S;) is to participate in development of the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) for the USAF, under multiple awards worth up …

• Defence Notes

  Tempest expansion masks industry funding fears

  21st July 2020

  A series of new collaborative agreements between Tempest industry lead BAE Systems and seven aerospace and defence suppliers is expected to add ‘game changing’ capabilities …

• Digital Battlespace

  New RAN patrol boats to include R&S comms equipment

  13th July 2020

  The six new Cape-class  patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) will include communications equipment from Rohde & Schwarz (R&S;), after the German company …

• Digital Battlespace

  A3M prime contractor picks engineering support provider

  1st July 2020

  Comtech EF Data Corporation, part of the Commercial Solutions segment of  Comtech Telecommunications, has received a $1.8 million follow-on subcontract for a DoD programme. The …

• Training

  SCARS moves out of the blocks

  29th June 2020

  An L3 Harris Link Training and Simulation-led team has won the battle to secure the USAF's prestigious Simulator Common Architecture Requirements and Standards (SCARS) contract.  …

• Air Warfare

  Air Warfare: European programmes, armed UAVs, guided rockets and more

  25th June 2020

  Read the latest edition of Air Warfare for free in our app or on your desktop. Register below to be sent the download link and …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Hybrid effector systems

  US Air Force Air Base Defence Missile Defence [US]

  Background The US Air Force's (USAF) Air Base Air Defence Missile Defence (ABAD MD) programme is part of the Air Force Physical Security System and sits ...

• CUAS - jammers

  NEROD RF [France]

  Background France has procured an unconfirmed number of MC2's NEROD RF C-UAS rifles ("fusils brouilleurs") for short-range counter-drone use. In a 2024 Senate report, it ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Counter-Uncrewed Systems (C-UxS) Framework Agreement [UK]

  Background The UK intends to place a Closed Framework Agreement for the procurement of Counter Uncrewed Systems (C-UxS). It requires solutions to detect, track, identify, record/communicate, and ...

• Static/towed guns

  Ground-Based, Medium-Calibre Gun Weapon System [US]

  Background In September 2026, the USAF issued a request for information (RFI) for a ground-based air defence system (GBAD) centred on a medium-calibre gun. This RFI ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9A Reaper [USAF]

  Background First order Following a development that began in 1998, in October 2002, the USAF ordered the first four MQ-9s of the production series. In ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RQ-20B Puma [USAF]

  Background Requirement According to Trace Stevenson, the AeroVironment (AV) Vice President and product line general manager, the USAF Security Forces required a small UAV to ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Bell 407GX [Iraq]

  Programme Background Between 2009 and 2015 Iraq was supplied with at 26 Bell 407s as part of the reconstruction of the Iraqi Air Force. The ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Baclground As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 1) [USAF]

  Background Requirements The programme’s requirements are based on the USAF’s belief that mass is necessary to compete effectively against an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  Background In 2010, the USAF announced the replacement of the HH-60G with a new Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH), and in 2012, the request for proposals ...

• AEW&C

  E-7A Wedgetail (1-2) [USA]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that this entry covers the two rapid-prototype E-7 aircraft, whose contract was signed in August 2024. A second programme entry covers the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-Y tanker aircraft [USA]

  Programme Background The USAF is replacing its fleet of 396 KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, built in the 1950s and 60s, and 59 KC-10 Extenders, which entered service ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX (2025-2026) [USA]

  Methodology Units required Based off the FY2027 USAF budget request, between FY2025 and FY2026, the U.S. Air Force received funding for 40 F-15EX platforms. Congress ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A (USA)

  Programme Background The first five Low Rate Initial Production lots were contracted for a total of 67 aircraft for $10.94 billion. The initial contract signed ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission

  RF-4C

  The RF-4C is a tactical reconnaissance aircraft developed based on the F-4 Phantom II by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet the requirements of the USAF ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-4 Phantom II family

  The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat multirole fighter developed originally by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet USN interceptor requirements. It soon became a unified ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  SurSAR

  The Surveillance Synthetic Aperture Radar (SurSAR) is a coherent surveillance and imaging radar developed by Array Systems Computing in Canada. It is derived from UPD-8/9 systems ...

• EW test systems

  CEESIM

  The Combat Electromagnetic Environment Simulator (CEESIM) family of simulators is designed for use in development, T&E;, maintenance and training support of airborne, land, shipboard and ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  F-15 Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS)

  The F-15 Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS) is an integrated defence system manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It is designed for the F-15, F-15K and F-15E ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  SECT

  The Simulator for Electronic Combat Training (SECT) is a device that blends high-fidelity equipment, environmental and EW simulation with a computer-based training engine, auto-evaluation and scoring ...

• Data links

  MIDS LVT-3 FDL

  For the MIDS LVT-3 Fighter Data Link (FDL) the USAF sought lower volume and cost than Class 1 and 2 JTIDS. The contract was awarded ...

• Land: battle management systems

  C4I Connect

  C4I Connect is a voice communications system for battlefield C2. It is a large-scale, divisional/regional system that manages voice sessions in the tactical battle area, ...

• Air: mission management systems

  9Air C4I

  9Air C4I provides an air C2 capability ranging from air operations level to real-time execution in a mobile environment. It is a net-centric system that ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALR-94

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-94 electronic countermeasures (ECM) system forms a key part of the self-protection suite of the US Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor combat ...

• Bomber

  B-2 Spirit

  The B-2 Spirit is a multirole stealth bomber manufactured by Northrop Grumman for the USAF. The Spirit is a flying wing aircraft, meaning that it ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/ALR-56C

  The AN/ALR-56C is a radar warning receiver manufactured by BAE Systems. It is designed to share data regarding radar threats with the aircraft's BAE Systems' ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/ALQ-165 ASPJ

  Northrop Grumman’s AN/ALQ-165(V) Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ) is a widely used radar jammer and is deployed on an array of combat aircraft. The system ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800W

  The RF-7800W-OU440 high-capacity LoS radio has an IP design that operates from 4.4-5GHz. This provides connectivity at distances over 50km and extending WANs and LANs ...

• Air: mission management systems

  DACCS

  Divisional Artillery Command and Control System (DACCS) integrates division artillery C4I with battalion C4I, making fire control an integral part of the C4I distribution network. ...